musings on motherhood, community, wellness & calling

January 2015

On New Year’s Day I attended a yoga class taught by my dear friend Krissie. Not only was it amazing to see her in her element surrounded by a room full of women cheering her on, but my heart overflowed by the words she shared, the ability my body has to stretch and grow and the small statement Krissie shared during tree pose that has stuck with me.

Just a baby tree right at your ankle. Let your foot rest as a kickstand -being grounded but stretching and working. Don’t second guess it, just let your foot support you–just like a kickstand would.

This yearly intention thing really gets me each year. I feel bombarded with many different worksheets and plans and books and programs. They’re good all in their own right-for their own audience. I knew which one I would pursue this year and oh has it done more than set an intention for the year. Lara Casey’s PowerSheets are helping me clear through some mental clutter, put a plan to the goals I have for this year and a path toward accountability to make it happen. I’m loving the intersection that it has with the Simplified Planner I’m using (and loving), Lara’s Make It Happen book and some other tools and resources that I’ve just recently found and will be digging into in February.

So as I worked through the prep-work for the PowerSheets, I was able to land on my word for the year. My intention. You guessed it. Kickstand is my word for the year. A place of stopping. Slowing down. Doing the necessary work. Oiling the chains. Getting a fresh coat of paint.

Kickstand. We’ll come back to this…I promise.

From the Prep-work, I found my way into the goal setting exercise with a new zeal and drive. So without further adieu, here are my 2015 Goals (the abbreviated version):

Create more white-space in my life.

Make my health a priority.

Bring happiness, fun, joy, spontaneity and Jesus to be a central focus of my marriage.

Live into my spiritual gift of hospitality by creating memorable experiences in our home around the table.

Determine to create and let the outflow of my head and heart bleed onto paper and this space.

Honor and keep a Sabbath practice.

Be open to persons of peace and seek out what discipleship looks like in this season.

Lean more closely into grace and the realization that progress is always better than perfection.

Curb the craving and desire to connect with others on social media and be more intentional and present.

Live a life of simplicity and abundance, not scarcity.

A few practical notes on this list:

To live into #1, I’m taking a “sabbatical” of sorts in the month of February. My kickstand month. After the IF: Local event in Georgetown, KY February 6-7th, I’m taking off from every non-essential responsibility. In other words–I’ll be going to work and spending time as a wife and daughter.

To live into #5, you’ll see more of me in this space. I’ll be popping in at least monthly and spending a lot more time in a journal.

To live into #9, you will NOT see as much of me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. For my February sabbatical, I’ll be off-line completely. I’m also only going to check my personal email a few times a week.

So here’s some fun, serious, not-so-serious and random tidbits into my mind, heart and life….

Anthropologie Monogrammed Mugs. I love you Target, but you’ve got to get with the program for us gal’s whose names start with F. My sweet beau got this one for me for Christmas and a dear friend got this one for me.

Staedtler Pens. Be still my heart. Love this pack and at a little more than $1/pen and with Amazon Prime free shipping–so worth it!

SheReadsTruth app. I absolutely LOVE the lock-screens here. I’m an IF: Equip morning study gal but have loved a few of the SRT studies that I’ve done.

IF: Gathering and IF: Local community. I am so fortunate to be co-leading a gathering and am looking forward to what God is doing. There is still time to register and show up to what God wants to say to you about who He is and what he has for you.

The Parenthood finale. And this article. I can’t give you a link to the amount of tissues you’ll need to get through the last 2 episodes. I have so much more to say here but just can’t. Anticipate much more about Parenthood in this space.

What I’m saying YES to in February:

Dates with the beau

Good food and good sleep

Exercising (hello long walks and yoga!)

Spontaneity

Me & Jesus

What I’m saying NO to in February:

Anything planned on my calendar (between February 8-March 8)

Social Media

Gilmore Girls on Netflix (my guilty pleasure now that the beau’s on night shift)

Perfection

Control

What I’m learning:

I want to create space and time for memories in my planer not just appointments. I want to carve out space in my home for people not things. I want to be abundant–arms open wide and ready to say “let it be” to whatever comes my way and not spend my days full of worry and anxiety and doubt. I want to stop controlling things and realize that God is ultimately in control and I trust Him way more than I trust myself.